Environment: Less than 10% of global plastics manufactured from recycled materials

Only 9.5% of plastic materials produced globally in 2022 were manufactured from recycled materials. The findings, reported in Communications Earth & Environment, are part of a comprehensive analysis of the global plastics sector, which also reveals a large increase in the amount of plastic being disposed of by incineration and substantial regional differences in plastic consumption.

Plastic production has increased from two million tonnes per year in 1950 to 400 million tonnes per year in 2022 and is projected to reach 800 million tonnes per year by 2050. As a result, plastic pollution is a pressing and growing global issue, posing major challenges for the environment, economy, and public health. However, there is currently little comprehensive analysis of the contemporary global plastics sector.

Quanyin Tan and colleagues conducted an analysis of the global plastics sector in 2022, using data from national statistics, industry reports, and international databases to produce a detailed global and regional overview of plastic production, use, and disposal. Data from their analysis highlights key trends in the global plastic supply chain. Of the 400 million tonnes of plastic produced over the year, just under 38 million tonnes (9.5%) was produced from recycled plastic. 98% of the remaining 362 million tonnes was produced from fossil fuels, predominantly coal and oil.

Around 268 million tonnes of plastic was disposed of over the year, with only 27.9% sent for sorting and potential recycling — 36.2% was instead sent directly to landfill and 22.2% was sent directly to incineration. Additionally, only half of the sorted plastic was actually recycled, with 41% of the sorted plastic instead incinerated and 8.4% sent to landfill. However, the total percentage of global plastic waste sent to landfill in 2022 (40%) has still decreased significantly compared to the estimated 79% of all global plastic waste sent to landfill between 1950 and 2015. The USA had the highest per capita plastic consumption, with an average of 216 kg of plastic consumed per person per year, whilst China consumed the most plastic overall — 80 million tonnes per year.

The authors say the study provides important data for devising future policies and regulations.